Brave Deeds: How One Family Saved Many from the Nazis

This slim volume describes the eponymous brave deeds of Frans and Mies Braal, whose bravery and generosity helped save many people from death in Holland during World War II. The narrator is an unnamed child, who describes leaving home with a man who brings him (or her) to the Braals' home in the country, where the family hid many people. Resistance workers, Jews, and injured fighters all took refuge. The narrator tells of the difficulty in getting enough food without arousing suspicion, the kindness of neighbors who helped them with obtaining supplies and giving advance warning of raids. The reader also learns how everyone shared chores, studied, and even managed entertainment, and shares in the joy as the narrator's family is reunited at the end of the book. Maps, brief historical notes, a glossary, and photographs supplement the text. The author's decision to present the text through the eyes of a young narrator makes the material more accessible to younger readers, but having the narrator be anonymous also serves to distance the reader from the events and actions described. At the same time, the narrator refers with little explanation to organizations and events which children today may not recognize, making the history feel even more remote. Nonetheless, this story provides a great introduction for younger readers to the courage and principles of the Braals and others like them who saved a great many lives. Ages 10 - 14. Marci Bloch